Sebastian Coe among seven candidates to succeed Thomas Bach as IOC President

New Delhi, Sep 16 (IANS) World Athletics president and two-time Olympic champion Lord Sebastian Coe is one of seven confirmed candidates in the race to become the next president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), to be elected in March 2025. The announcement comes after current president Thomas Bach revealed at the Paris 2024 Olympics that he would step down after completing his second term next year.

Lord Coe, who won gold in the 1500m at the 1980 and 1984 Olympics, brings a wealth of experience to his candidacy. In addition to his athletic success, he led the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games as chair and has served as the president of World Athletics, guiding the organisation through several challenges.

The competition for the presidency is stiff, with other notable candidates including Juan Antonio Samaranch Jr. from Spain, France's David Lappartient, Zimbabwean Olympic swimmer Kirsty Coventry, Japan's Morinari Watanabe, Johan Eliasch from Sweden, and Prince Feisal al Hussein of Jordan. Coventry, a seven-time Olympic swimming medalist, stands out as the first woman and African to bid for the top role in the IOC's history.

Coe has emerged as the front-runner for the top post in the IOC as per initial assessment with Samaranch Jr, whose father by the same name has led the IOC for decades, and Lappartient among his strongest rivals.

Coe pointed at his vast experience as an Olympian and administrator as his strong point.

"Olympic sport is fundamental to my DNA," Coe shared on X. "I had the privilege of being a double Olympic champion, chaired an Olympic and Paralympic Games from bid through delivery and legacy, and I’ve led an international federation through turbulent times."

The election for the next president will take place at a special IOC session in ancient Olympia, Greece, from March 18-21, 2025. Candidates will make their case to the full IOC membership during a private meeting in Lausanne, Switzerland, in January. The newly-elected president will take office in June 2025.

Bach, a German lawyer and Olympic fencing gold medallist, has been at the helm of the IOC since 2013. His tenure saw numerous reforms and challenges, including the global impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the Tokyo 2020 Games.

If successful, Lord Coe, or one of the other candidates, will become the first new IOC president in over a decade, with the potential to shape the future of the Olympic movement.

To date, all previous IOC presidents have been men, with eight out of nine coming from Europe. Coventry’s candidacy marks a historic moment as she aims to become the first woman and African to lead the organisation, bringing fresh perspectives to the highest office in international sport.

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